Replay (or Life is a Setlist, This is On Shuffle)
by Normal-is2faraway
Summary: Life is an ever-changing setlist but it's the day before graduation and just this once, Beca wished she could replay it from the start. A story about what changes and what stays the same. (Originally published on tumblr)
1. Life Is a Setlist This Is On Shuffle

**Title: Replay (or Life is a Setlist, This is on Shuffle)**

**Pairings: Beca/Chloe, Aubrey/Jesse, and a bit of Cynthia/Stacie (might be one-sided, might not ;)**

**Rating: PG-13**

**Description: Life is an ever-changing setlist but it's the day before graduation and just this once, Beca wished she could replay it from the start. A look at the changes that go along with the future and the one moment that changed everything for Beca.**

**AN: this is dedicated to my fellow flailing fangirl, Emmy. Not a whole lot of Bechloe interaction in this chapter but I hope it won't deter you guys from reading :)**

* * *

"No extra piercings, no plaid and no converse? It looks like _somebody's_ ready to be a grownup in the real world."

It's been a while since Beca had heard the sharp trills of the former Barden Bella captain berating her in typical Aca-Aubrey fashion. She was in the middle of taking down her dorm decorations and between the Breakfast Club poster, the picture of their first win at Nationals and the framed cd of her first mix that was played on the radio station, Beca wanted nothing more than to have all that back.

Every breakup, every Barden Bella smackdown and (Oh God, she would never tell a living soul she thought this, especially not Chloe) every single Aubrey 'Aca-' speech.

She wanted to restart the playlist from the first moment Chloe called her out at club fair day.

Restart it and put it on constant repeat.

She put down the sacred Barden Bella scarf and looked up at the blonde smirking from the doorway. "Well, well… Aubrey Posen, how gracious of you to find the time to greet us mere mortals. Daddy let you off your leash early?"

Of course, Beca would always show her appreciation for Aubrey's distinct displays of love and affection with her own usual dry cut sarcasm. It was like riding a bike. You never forget how to piss off Aubrey Posen.

Since their first victory, Aubrey learned to take it easy and- Well, no she was still the same intense, tightly wound go-getter she always was but she did ease up on tradition at least. She also gained a sense of humour, which Chloe swears she always had, but it was nice to see the former captain let her hair down every once in a while.

And as much as they can say they get along now, mostly for Chloe's sake than anything else, their usual cut-throat repartee would never truly fade.

Aubrey visibly winced at the mention of Mr. Posen, making Beca regret she ever mentioned it but it disappeared quickly as Aubrey walked into the room, inspecting the evidence of memories of her successor's years at Barden. She glared at the Breakfast Club poster but Beca made no apologies for it. Aubrey had no right to doubt or judge the state of Beca's relationships. Especially not after what she did to Jesse.

It seemed that Aubrey knew this as well because the glare eased its intensity and there was a flash of something akin to regret in her eyes. "I come here in relative peace, Mitchell."

"Relative?" Beca repeated dryly.

"Chloe insisted that I try." And Beca understood, if there was one thing that she had in common with Aubrey Posen it was that they would both do anything for Chloe.

"I figured your first stop would be the auditorium… or the rehearsal space." Or Jesse's place to beg him to understand one more time why she couldn't be with him.

"I wanted to see how my successor was dealing with her last days as captain."

"You mean you were hoping to catch me weeping and wiping snot like you did when you had to go?"

"Oh please, like you aren't Aca-Anguishing in your head right now."

"Aca-anguishing?" She echoed, eyebrow arching as high as it did the first time she heard Aubrey use the unique prefix. "You really miss being able to add Aca in front of your words for scary acapella captain emphasis don't you?"

But Aubrey just smirked in response, telling Beca that the blonde knew that she was just avoiding the accurate observation with a sarcastic question. Beca just scoffed, throwing her hands in the air in silent admission. She was mentally sobbing, snotting and vomiting in her mind right now and in a way, it was reassuring to have someone there that totally understood.

"You did a good job." Aubrey admitted awkwardly patting her on the back, "I mean I just had a year to help the Bellas become National Champs. You've done it three times now. All while being best friends with the captain of our rival team."

Choosing not to address the Jesse-shaped elephant in the room, Beca swatted away Aubrey's hand.

"Yeah well, I wasn't alone." And she wasn't, she never was. From the moment that Chloe picked her out from the crowd. It just took her the better part of a year to realize it. Beca had the Bellas both old and new behind her every step of the way. Cynthia and Amy were both excellent co-captains, often playing bad cop, weird cop and scaring the newbie-Bellas. Beca didn't know how but somehow it all worked out in typical Bella fashion: a big hot mess of Aca-mayhem.

But she didn't have to ask the others because they would all agree: they wouldn't have it any other way.

Life was an ever-changing setlist and the Bellas were no different. They brought in new Bellas and lost some to the ritual that inducted them into the real world (Denise and Lilly both graduated a year early). Still they somehow managed to keep the awesome feeling of Mix and Family even if the dynamics and songs were changed.

And they will change again. Beca, Amy, Cynthia and Jessica were all graduating tomorrow making all Bellas, old and new, worry for the future of their now four year reign as national champions.

But while Beca feared the outside world, she had no doubt that the Barden Bellas would thrive. Stacie would become the new captain, as she decided to extend her studies another year. And although Cynthia would graduate the next day along with the others, she would return in the fall to go for her Masters in music theory and composition. Beca had no doubt she would see her in LA in the future.

Of course, all the Bellas knew the real reason Cynthia Rose wanted to continue at Barden had everything to do with the new Barden Bella captain as her grades could have gotten her into other, more prestigious schools around the country. Stacie and Cynthia had really bonded when Stacie helped her with her gambling problem. Although Cynthia Rose wasn't as forward with her affections as she was when it was pure lust and grabby hands, she still hasn't quite learned to use her poker face outside the underground casino.

Beca hoped that things worked out with them. She cared about her Bellas.

"You kept the Bellas together when you could have let it all go to chaos and aca-anarchy. You should give yourself more credit."

"Like you would ever allow me to let it fall so far. I know Chloe kept you updated on every Barden Bella meeting." She replied, rolling her eyes. Chloe would tell Aubrey everything from Beca's leadership skills to her bedroom ones.

Aubrey huffed and the shorter girl didn't even have to look to know that she was stomping her prissy little feet. "It's not my fault you tell Chloe everything."

"She's _my_ girlfriend, I always tell her everything." Beca argued, her tone was exasperated as they hashed out this argument for the umpteenth time over the course of her captaincy.

"And I'm her best friend, she _has_ to tell me everything, especially when it comes to my team."

"You graduated years ago, Aubrey. It's not your team anymore." It's not mine anymore either, she thought morosely.

"Once a Bella always a Bella." Aubrey intoned, and then she added softly, "It's the one thought that helps when we leave."

The air was palpable with all kinds of emotions that Beca still wasn't equipped to deal with, at least not without Chloe there. She really wished that Chloe was here but she couldn't fly in from L.A. until tomorrow.

"Why are you here, Aubrey?" It was rude and direct but still it had to be said.

The former Barden Bella always was and still is a fan of the dramatics and besides her big blowout with Jesse (Beca still didn't know the full details as Jesse, Chloe and Aubrey refused to say) she loved to have her big fits and drama hashed out in front of people.

"What do you mean?" Aubrey asked, playing off innocence that just wasn't there.

"We don't do these heart-to-hearts." Beca pointed out, "Hell, this is the longest time we've spent together without anybody having to ring the bell and send us to our corners."

"But we're both former captains-"

"_Aubrey."_

"Fine," She said, raising her hands in surrender. "Chloe wanted me to… shewantedmetotellyoushecan'tmakeherflighttomorrow!"

"Say that again? Uh, more slowly this time. It sounded like you wanted to blow chunks and I really don't want to have to clean this room a second time."

"Beca, Chloe can't make her flight tomorrow."

Tomorrow as in graduation day.

Tomorrow as in the day she would leave Barden and the campus radio station and Jesse and the Bellas.

Tomorrow as in the planned day she was going to propose to the one girl in the world that not just tolerates Beca Mitchell and all her problems but loves her more than anything for them.

Tomorrow as in the moment everything was going to change in her life.

"_What_?!"

The record player in her heart screeched to a halt.

Now she was the one that was going to blow chunks.

* * *

_**Summer Before Beca's Junior Year.**_

_She was in LA. Finally._

_It was __**just**__ a visit though. She never thought she'd say that with such conviction. She, of course, needed to head back to Barden come August to start her second year as captain of the Bellas. For now though, she was in L.A. with a dream summer internship at a relatively known radio station. It wasn't Ryan Seacrest (thank God) but it wasn't the old university radio station either. The summer internship was only three months long but she got it and she was staying with her best friend (her only best friend right now seeing as her other ex-best friend lied to her like the LIAR he was)._

_**Her best friend**. And she had more than one (Okay so maybe Jesse wasn't ex-ed off the short list but he would have to grovel for a bit longer). What a strange notion, one that wouldn't have been conceivable just two years ago. She would have given an arm and a leg to be here back then. But now she had roots._

_L.A. was everything and nothing like she thought it would be. There was sun and there were the tropical trees. The stars, the landmarks and the opportunity were all present in the Land of Angels just like she dreamed. But there was also an abundance of sleazy talent scouts, abtastic radio DJs and uppity busty models that sneered at her appearance. Facing the dream she'd had for so long seemed so much scarier than she imagined. She looked down self-consciously at her usual attire; plaid, dark jeans and converse, feeling more like a twelve-year-old girl than an aspiring DJ in L.A._

_It was easy to ignore before when a pair of headphones blocked out the world she tried to keep out._

_"BECA!"_

_Since she started at Barden though, Beca managed to find a new way to let music and the world into her heart._

_"Hey, Chloe-OOOF!" She should have been more prepared but after months of no non-boundary Chloe affection Beca didn't mind one bit._

_"I'm so glad you're here. I missed you so much, Becs." Beca could barely make out the sentiment but once she realized what Chloe had said, the soundwaves carried with it a lighter air, a warmer one. One that made all the worries and insecurities fade away to the nothingness outside the hug._

_"I uh, I missed you too." Was her ever-eloquent reply._

_"I'm so sorry I didn't tell you about Aubrey and Jesse." Chloe murmured into Beca's tangled brown locks. "I was sworn to secrecy."_

_"It's okay." Her answer was as muffled as she breathed in the L.A. sun-soaked scent of Chloe's now-brighter red tresses. It was okay, and she really meant it._

_It was, after all, hard to stay mad at Chloe Beale. She literally had that built in her genetics, down to her wide-eyed blue irises that reminded Beca of a bubbly Colbie Caillat song then to that smile of hers that brought sunshine on a cloudy day (Temptations style and all). Chloe was a freaking Disney Princess topped with a love for Acapella, a penchant for nudity and a total lack of regard for personal space._

_And maybe she was a little annoyed at first. Her former aca-archenemy and her ex-boyfriend turned best friend hooking up and she was the last to know? Of course she was allowed to be pissed off._

_But here? In Chloe's arms, warm as the Gregory Porter album, she didn't feel anything but love. No matter what the distance or how long they've gone without seeing each other in person, Beca always (secretly) cherished those hugs. They never changed._

_ …_

_Waitaminute._

_Love?_

_The album that was playing in her head skipped a beat as Beca felt all the music connect into a mix like no other. Colbie Callait bubbly, Temptations style sunshine? Gregory Porter love?_

_Aca-fucking shit._

_She was in love with Chloe Beale. _

_Her best friend that changed everything for her the minute she stepped into the shower demanding she sing Titanium._

_Her best friend that was there when she had her anticlimatic breakup with Jesse._

_The one person that's been her rock for the last year and a half and the one that __is letting her stay at her place for the next three months._

_"It's okay." She said once more, hoping she just imagined the crack in her voice._


	2. Still Playing The Same Song

**Title: Replay (or Life is a Setlist, This is on Shuffle) [2/4]**

**Pairings: Beca/Chloe, Aubrey/Jesse, and a bit of Cynthia/Stacie (might be one-sided, might not ;)**

**Description: Life is an ever-changing setlist but it's the day before graduation and just this once, Beca wished she could replay it from the start. A look at the changes that go along with the future and the one moment that changed everything for Beca.**

**AN: thank you all for the favourites, subscriptions and review(s)!**

**mymindisonyou: Hope this chapter answers your Aubrey/Jesse question... :)**

**All flashbacks take place during the summer before Beca's Junior year and are _italicized. _**

* * *

_Beca managed to keep her new secret ninja love attack under a (hopefully) convincing façade of normalcy. At the very least, she managed to hold a conversation with Chloe without sounding like the prepubescent boy that some people accuse her of dressing as. They had just finished eating and once Beca got the grand tour of the small one bedroom apartment with the foldout sofa, they settled on the newly made bed, chatting and snacking while barely paying attention to the TV._

_"I'm really glad you're here."_

_Beca laughed, ignoring the massive butterfly attack and bass thumping in her guts. Instead she settled for throwing a popcorn kernel at the other girl, delightfully inciting a shriek of indignation and amusement. "I know, Chloe. This is like, the twentieth time you've said it since I got in."_

_More like twelfth but who else besides Beca was reverently keeping count?_

_"I know. But with Aubrey out east bumping toners with Jesse and you and the Bellas having the time of your lives at Barden," Chloe broke off gloomily and Beca's heart tore in two. "I guess I just feel left behind."_

_And there it was, Beca thought, the moment in intimate girl talk (the non-sexual kind thank you very much) where a vulnerable confession requires a hug in consolation. But that pout, oh that pout. Beca would give away her record collection to ensure that Chloe had a smile on her face at all times._

_It was that pout that usually got Beca to step off when she got too rowdy during the Aubrey Barden Bella era. Usually. _

_It was that pout that got Beca to try rock climbing even though she was terrified of heights. _

_That pout even got Beca to wear a dress to Chloe's damn graduation. To this day Beca swore those tears she shed was because of the dress and heels she was made to wear. They weren't because she was going to miss Chloe like crazy (even though she did)._

_Although things have changed a lot since Beca met Chloe… that pout was always a constant._

_And a hug? Though she generally avoided physical displays of affection, a hug was well within the lengths she would go to remove the sadness and replace it with gladness._

_"If anything, Chlo…" She whispered into Chloe's sun-kissed auburn hair, "You're the one leaving us behind. You're out here! Making it big. Forgetting about all us little people."_

_"Becoming a vocal coach to C-list celebrities' kids that think they can sing is far from making it big, Beca." She sobbed out in reply._

_Oh no, tears too? _

_"Chloe, I would never leave you behind. You're my best friend. No matter where I am. No matter where you are… We won't leave each other behind." _

_It was sappy but true, Beca wouldn't dream of cutting Chloe out because of some DJ gig or a major Barden Bella dilemma. If anything, Chloe was always the first person she would inform, rant to and consult._

_Beca wanted to break the hug to look into Chloe's eyes, feeling that eye contact would do a more convincing job but Chloe refused to relinquish her hold and only held her tighter._

_"You're my best friend too. I love you so much."_

_It was equal amounts of uplifting beats and downtrodden ballads, Beca thought, Chloe would never feel the same mix of everything-love that echoed throughout every inch of Beca's soul… Would she?_

_Because Beca was the best friend._

_But the weight on her heart __**felt**__ lighter with each passing moment that Chloe held on. So Beca would take what she could get._

_And then she would try to replay the moment later, hoping it would be enough._

KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK

(Present Day)

"Are you okay in there?"

Beca held her head wearily over the toilet bowl in utter shame. "Leave me alone." She uttered weakly.

"Oh please, you're talking to the queen of shameful stress vomiting." She was right and that just made Beca feel even worse.

"No." She protested again. She'd rather have Amy or Lily come in than have Aubrey help her clean up after vomiting from stress and heartbreaking disappointment.

But then she felt the crumpled up sheets of paper towels being pressed up against her cheek, wiping away the remaining puke from her face. "Like I listen to you anyways."

She helped clean Beca up before helping her off the floor. "Thanks." Beca muttered.

"Sorry, you had to find out like this." Aubrey looked genuinely apologetic and the shorter girl waved it off.

"I don't want apologies." Her tone more petulant than ever, "I want Chloe."

Beca avoided looking her former captain in the eyes because she felt so pathetic. Luckily Aubrey's phone went off and her attention was focused on returning a text message.

"God, you're so whiny without her. Come on, we need to get going."

"Where? Why?"

"Stacie's getting the Captain's Cold Feet Freakout. That was Cynthia Rose, she has a meeting and asked us to intervene before Stacie reverts."

Beca sniffled but didn't protest. Aubrey was right, (She couldn't believe that she would admit it but _Aubrey was __**right**_). She _was_ whiny with no Chloe. When did that happen?

_As much as Beca didn't want to break their moment, she had to for her doomed heart's sake. "Does Aubrey know that I'm your best friend?"_

_"I'm still alive aren't I?" Chloe replied dryly, "But she's not my best friend."_

_"She's not?"_

_"She's my aca-twin. My singing sister-in-arms. She got me to join the Barden Bellas and we've faced so much together since then. Vomiting viral videos and crazy Barden captains."_

_Beca listened intently as Chloe continued to elaborate the difference in what she felt for both girls. The slight reverence in Chloe's voice made it almost impossible to not be jealous. The only consolation being that Aubrey was a sister, not a best friend. Beca just didn't quite know what it meant… yet._

_"But you? You're kind of my music soulmate. Don't get me wrong, Aubrey has good taste in music but anything past the 60's and it's usually Disney and pop songs. And there's nothing wrong with that but… she'd never be caught dead listening to Blackstreet."_

_That sound that Beca was hearing? It was her heart skipping tracks and going to static._

"But why didn't she tell me?" Beca asked for the hundredth time since they left her dorm room.

"It was last minute and she had an emergency meeting today. I volunteered because I seem to piss you off no matter what I say and my flight was scheduled for today anyways. It seemed better than you yelling at Chloe."

"I wouldn't yell at her…" At Aubrey's pointed look, Beca amended, "…much. I would just be very _vocal_ about the fact that she promised she'd be here for grad."

"Look it's just a day-"

"I haven't seen her in months!" Perhaps Beca was starting to sound hysterical but damn it, she missed her.

"But you guys talked on Skype and you text…"

"You know it's not the same thing."

"You guys did it a lot better than I did with Jesse. I mean look at where we are now?" Aubrey added, self-depreciatingly.

"We're all miserable, Aubrey." Beca wasn't above not giving any sympathy to Aubrey at least not without Chloe there to pout at her.

"Oh please, you'll go all scowl-y at her and she'll shed a tear and pout then you guys'll have Skype sex."

"Aubrey!"

"What? It's me! Chloe tells me _everything_. No matter how much I tell her not to."

They fell into a weirdly comfortable silence as they crossed the campus.

"Hey," Aubrey nudged her, "At least it took your mind off your impending graduation freak out?"

"Thanks for the reminder." Beca drawled with her usual dose of sarcasm.

And there was the vomiting feeling again. No Chloe and graduation looms ever closer. Instead, Beca chose to go back to another constant: Aubrey drama. "How are you and Darth Douchebag by the way?"

Beca had to admit, the stumble in Aubrey's step and the series of hacking coughs that followed would be worth hashing up this stuff again.

"I see Benji's nickname stuck?" Aubrey mused finally after Beca cleared the way incase chunks came out with the coughs.

"It did." She confirmed.

"And how is Jesse since…"

"Since Daddy Posen ordered you to break up with your liberal hippie boyfriend with no direction and basically signed you away to Darth Douchbag?"

There was a twitch, a slight crack in the Aubrey Posen mask that was born and bred upon her face. Beca ignored it for the sack of her best friend because Aubrey Posen would never change. She would always need her Dad's approval and it didn't matter whose hearts got stepped on to get it. Jesse deserved more but he would never say so. She would have to do it herself.

"That wasn't what happened." Aubrey argued. "And I don't think of Jesse like that!"

"No, but you do think whatever Daddy makes you think!"

"And what the hell do you know!"

"I know that against my better judgement and Jesse's, you ended up being the same uptight bitch with a single-minded agenda that left him high and dry with a broken heart. I know that it was Benji and me that were the ones to pick up the pieces when you dumped him for Darth Douche."

SLAP!

And maybe she had this coming. Maybe they both did. Because they both had extreme Daddy issues that made them both intolerable in certain ways. Because they both had trouble dealing with said issues and emotions in generally. And because this was probably the longest time they've spent together without Chloe, Jesse or the Bellas there to distract them from their antagonistic dynamic. It was bound to blow up sometime.

Beca just wished it didn't happen to her cheek. Ouch.

Another bout of silence followed as Aubrey whimpered in horror at what she had just done but Beca waved it off after the initial shock and they continued on their way to the auditorium. More quickly now because Beca wanted to get to an icepack.

"I'm not with Derek anymore." Aubrey whispered, the murmur echoing out as they walked into the auditorium

Beca stood stark straight, head snapping up like a meerkat. "What?"

"I left him. I left him and the firm… and my Dad."

"What?" And then Beca took notice. Really took notice. She noticed the wrinkled skirt, the slightly messy shirt and the unkempt hair.

Beca was wrong.

Because there it was, the same uptight self-rightious bitch was there crumbling on the floor and breaking because of Jesse. For Jesse. And maybe… she was there crumbling for Aubrey Posen too.

So Beca was wrong. It wasn't the first time.

_"You're over Jesse right?"_

_Beca groaned at the question and turned to lie on her back. For one, she was asked this at least a dozen times before she flew in to LA. Secondly, it was three in the fucking morning in LA, which meant it was 6 in the fucking morning back on the east coast._

_"Chloe…"_

_"Please? I'll leave you alone if you answer."_

_And then there was Chloe's breath close to Beca's neck and suddenly she didn't mind._

_"I've told you a zillion times, Chlo. Jesse's just a friend. A good friend. I got the ews when we kissed. And ews do not make for a good relationship."_

_Chloe sighed, the feeling sending Beca's nerves on fire. "Okay."_

_"But you knew this already."_

_"I just needed to hear you say it again…" There was a pause and for a moment, Beca thought the other girl had fallen asleep. "You know- for uh… for Aubrey."_

_"For Aubrey?" The smaller girl cringed, taking advantage of the darkness covering her disapproval._

_Unfortunately for Beca, Chloe knows her too well. "She really likes him, Beca. He's good for her."_

_"I don't think she's good for him."_

_"Come on, Becs. Aubrey's different now."_

_"She's still the same uppity aca-bitch to me."_

_"Everyone and everything changes when you're in love."_

_Does it ever._

_But Aubrey? Pfft, Beca doubted it. But when one had Chloe, there was also Aubrey. It was a packaged deal. And with Chloe sleeping so close to Beca, she didn't quite mind the trade-off._

_Even if Aubrey was and always will be... well, Aubrey._


	3. Sounds the Same but I Changed the Track

**Title: Replay (or Life is a Setlist, This is on Shuffle) [3a/4]**

**Pairings: Beca/Chloe, Aubrey/Jesse, and a bit of Cynthia/Stacie (might be one-sided, might not ;)**

**Rating: PG-13**

**Description: Life is an ever-changing setlist but it's the day before graduation and just this once, Beca wished she could replay it from the start. A look at the changes that go along with the future and the one moment that changed everything for Beca.**

**All flashbacks take place during the summer before Beca's Junior year.**

* * *

_Chloe's hair had gotten lighter since she first moved out to L.A. Logically, Beca thought it was because of the sun. Another part of her, the part of her she liked to think she kept hidden from the world, was telling a different story. It had gotten more difficult to separate Chloe from the ideal notion of Los Angeles. She was practically the embodiment of bright, sunny angels, a fact that had annoyed Beca when she first met the girl._

_And every time she would fix that smile of a thousand Motown songs at Beca, it was like she was assaulted by an onslaught of puppies and rainbows and sunshine. Also something that Beca had vehemently fought in her mind and heart._

_"Your hair seems different since I saw you in January."_

_"Bad different?" Chloe asked worriedly, glancing over at the mirror that hung on the wall._

_"Impossible," Beca assured her. "You never look bad. It's actually, really annoying."_

_It wasn't but she needed to diffuse the compliment somehow._

_"Thanks!" Chloe replied brightly before jumping on the foldout bed. "So… How are you liking L.A. so far?"_

_"It's bright. Like your hair has gotten." She added the last comment absentmindedly._

_Chloe glanced at Beca subtly as she drew out her next question,"…Bright enough for you to come back and stay in two years?"_

_"Dude, you already know I'm here to stay once my parole's up, bright colours be damned."_

_"Parole?" She laughed at the smaller girl and nudged her playfully, "You're at college, Beca. Not jail."_

_"Same difference. 'Sides, why are you acting like me being here isn't a sure thing come graduation? It's pretty much been written in stone since I got into mixing."_

_"Except it's not sure. You were supposed to go after your first year but you decided to stay."_

_"So things changed. You said the Bellas needed me after you guys left." Beca saw Chloe becoming more and more irate, "Why are we even talking about this? And why are you getting so upset?"_

_"Because things change. People change." And then, just like that, Chloe's usually bright demeanor changed too. She curled up, hugging her knees to her chest and quietly sobbed._

_"Hey, is this about Aubrey deciding to stay on the East coast?"_

_"It's about people changing their minds! They promise something and then they decide they're scared or they found a better reason to stay-"_

_"Look, I'm not scared of moving here because I know you're going to be here. And I sure as hell ain't scared of my dad."_

_"But you could find someone. Someone that would make you want to stay for them."_

_"Chloe," Beca lifted the girl's chin up, forcing Chloe to look into her eyes, "I can say for certain that no one is ever going to be more important than you."_

_The tear-gates were torn down in one sweeping moment as Chloe tackled Beca with so much force they were hurled off the sofa bed._

_Chloe moved to cuddle more with her, causing Beca to stop breathing for a couple of seconds. "Thank you, Beca." The small heartfelt whisper made it worth her momentary strangulation._

_They stayed on the floor that night snuggled up as they watched cheesy Rom-Coms that usually had a strong emphasis on girl friendships and Beca endured them without thought because Chloe missed her aca-sister and Beca really just wanted to do anything to make that hurt, hurt a little less._

Present Day

So discovering Aubrey Posen possessed an actual human soul was kind of a shocker.

And having her bawl all over one of Beca's few non-plaid shirts was kind of surreal.

But there they were. In the auditorium.

As Amy would say, this was 'Aca-Awkward.'

A few moments passed as Aubrey's sobs slowly subsided. They broke apart just as awkwardly, Aubrey hiding her face away in order to keep Beca from seeing. It was a vein effort to keep any such dignity but Aubrey still tried to maintain it.

"So…" Beca began, tapping her fingers on her legs and looking anywhere but at Aubrey's after-cry face. "…what are you going to do now?"

Aubrey choked out a laugh. "I don't know," she breathed out then her eyes widened, "I _don't know_!"

There was a different kind of insanity pasted on Aubrey's face this time and although it did make Beca back away in fear, she sort of understood the conclusion the older girl was coming to.

"I don't know. I have no _fucking_ clue. Beca, do you know what this means?"

"…That you don't know?" Beca stood back a bit, "And you're kind of scaring me."

"It means that I'm free." She whispered reverently, as if she was afraid that saying it out loud would break the revelation somehow. "For the first time ever."

There was a slight hiccup at the realization. "Oh God, what am I going to do?"

Ah, there it was. The pacing, the hair pulling anxiety and the vaguely puckish tint in her cheeks. It was familiar, Beca having witnessed it many times over the years, but this was a little different.

For some reason, Beca was reminded of that Disney princess movie that Chloe made her watch._Tangled_. Well, Beca would insist that Chloe made her watch it but she knew that Chloe knew that Beca was just as excited to watch it. Admitting it, however, did nothing for her badass status.

That scene with Rapunzel questioning her decision to leave the tower? That was Aubrey. The constant flux of different facial expressions ranging from blissful to horror-stricken was almost as amusingly animated too.

Rapunzel was letting down her hair and stepping out into the real world, Beca thought to herself. Perhaps the movie was more of a reference to _everything_ going on right now.

This wasn't Aubrey Posen hyperventilating over her law school. She wasn't having a prissy fit over Beca's choices as the captain of the Bellas. This was Aubrey with a soul, Beca reminded herself. Yeah, that was still weird.

An olive branch needed to be extended. An understanding.

She braved a step forward, settling herself by Aubrey's side in case of projectile vomit. "I hear L.A. is nice."

Aubrey froze, looking to Beca in utter disbelief. "_You_ want _me_ in L.A?"

She got a shrug in response. "It's different there. New place, new life. A fresh start. 'Sides… Chloe will be there and-"

"-Jesse?" Aubrey finished hopefully.

Beca smirked. "I was going to say me but I guess Jesse would be more of incentive to move there, huh?"

"Much better." Aubrey agreed then added, "You being there would be a turn off actually."

Beca's jaw dropped in mock offence and she shoved the other girl lightly. They laughed. More sincerely than they ever have before when they were forced to socialize with each other.

"Oh my God!"

The antagonistic pair jumped apart at the yell and saw Stacie standing before them in her usual half-dressed glory.

"This _is_ the apocalypse right? I mean you guys hugging it out was totally the first sign. Wait until I tell Cynthia Rose that it was only a couple of years late!"

"Hey… Stacie."

"And where have _you _been?" Aubrey shrieked at Stacie. Beca didn't see the tall blonde frantically check the time on her phone. They had a schedule to keep!

"Hello? Can we focus on more important things? How can you guys think of having a breakdown before_I _can even start having mine!" Stacie huffed and crossed her arms around her chest.

Aubrey discreetly wiped away the remaining tears then stood straight up, almost knocking over Beca in the process.

"What the-"

"Looks like this is a Barden Bella captains' meeting. And seeing as I'm no longer captain, I should let you guys sort out your aca-leadership issues. It's important and I have other places to be."

"But- Aubrey!"

Aubrey raised her hand and let loose a sharp look, stopping Beca from whatever it was she wanted to say.

"Thank you, Beca." She said before enclosing the smaller girl in a tight hug. "It was nice catching up with you."

Stacie gasped in the background, still muttering about the apocalypse.

Beca struggled to find words for this surreal conversation. "Uh, Jesse… Jesse would be crazy not to hear you out. If I know him though, he'd probably be just the right amount of crazy to give your weird aca-toner another try."

And with that, Aubrey Posen strutted out of the auditorium, the sharp clacks of her heels echoing long after she was out of sight.

"Finally!" Stacie whined. "I've been trying to find you like all morning or something."

"Did you try the dorm room we shared for the last year?" Beca asked dryly.

Eyes widened considerably but Stacie kept from stuttering out and flipped her hair. "Oh, well I thought that would've been too obvious."

"Uh huh, sure." Beca sat down at the edge of the stage and motioned for Stacie to join her. "So… I guess this is where I pass the torch?"

Stacie's face scrunched up in confusion, "I thought you were giving me the pitch pipe?"


End file.
